Archie Comics 2014
Written by Roberto-Aguirre-Sacasa
Illustrated by Robert Hack
Lettered by Jack Morelli
Every witch needs a familiar, and through the ages, Salem has faithfully fulfilled his duties to Sabrina. This chapter lifts back the cloak of time to reveal the dark history of how Salem came to be and serve his master.
I’m a fan of this series and while it’s taken awhile for it to get back on a regular schedule, hopefully that’s what this is, it’s well worth the wait. Here between the ramifications of what Sabrina is up to regarding Harvey we get to meet the other denizens of the house. Now not only does the house have Salem but another pair of residents that i’ve not seen before.
Roberto has a way with words and the opening is utterly spectacular as he opens this like a children’s book. It’s fun and creative and decidedly a different way to spotlight the lightheartedness and dark tones of this series. Oh and once we meet Nag and Nagaina and another violent children’s story comes into play you’ve got to be incredibly impressed with how all this unfolds and ties into the Sabrina mythology.
Once their story is told it’s time to hear how Salem came to be and why he’s with Sabrina. I do like that as a man or well a boy he was as much an ass as he comes across today. I also like how he got his name and how familiar, pun intended, he is with witches and why.
The huge appeal of this aside from the story alone is the way Roberto is able to write these characters. The whole idea of what familiars are is delved into here and a much different way than I was expecting. It blends the ideas of history and fables so that the blur into one and the same. Plus the characterization here is pretty freakin sweet. There’s no getting past what any of them are or were and the idea that spending untold years as an animal familiar isn’t going to fundamentally change who they are. Plus I love the reason we get for why they can speak oh and the Cobra’s and their owner and how they came to be with the Ambrose's well that’s just a brilliant nod unto itself.
Roberts interiors are gorgeous. I mean he’s been utterly brilliant to date but there’s something more magical about the subject matter and the lives they’ve led being brought to life this way that sets it apart from what’s come before. The exotic scenery and the world of the past, even for when this takes place is something he brings to life with such grace, elegance and beauty that adds just the right amount of mystery and menace. The man knows how to use the pages and panels to control the flow of the story and the detail he fills them with just sets this apart from the crowd.
There’s a reason it’s worth the wait and it just goes beyond delivering a magical experience for the reader in terms of wonder and worry. A different kind of edge of your seat reading that you don’t want to end!